Multiple voltage light emitter packages, systems, and related methods

Abstract

Light emitter packages, systems, and methods having multiple light emitter chips and operable at multiple voltages are provided. In some aspects, light emitter packages described herein include a submount having a plurality of contact pads and a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) chips disposed over one or more surfaces thereof. The plurality of contact pads are configured to pass electrical current into the plurality of LED chips for allowing the package to be operable in at least two different voltages. The package can be operable at approximately 3 volts (V) or more, approximately 6V or more, approximately 9 V or more, approximately 12V or more, approximately 18 V or more, or approximately 36 V or more.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A light emitter package comprising:
 a submount having a plurality of contact pads disposed thereon; and 
 a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) chips disposed over the submount and connected between a first trace and a second trace; 
 wherein the plurality of contact pads comprises at least two pairs of contact pads, wherein each pair of the at least two pairs of contact pads includes a first contact pad connected to the first trace and a second contact pad connected to the second trace; and 
 wherein the at least two pairs of contact pads are configured to be connected to an external circuit that is selectively configurable to route electrical current by at least two different paths through the plurality of LED chips without re-configuring the plurality of LED chips, and wherein the package is operable at least in two different voltages. 
 
     
     
       2. The light emitter package of  claim 1 , wherein at least one voltage of the at least two different voltages is approximately 3 Volts (V). 
     
     
       3. The light emitter package of  claim 1 , wherein at least one voltage of the at least two different voltages is approximately 6 Volts (V). 
     
     
       4. The light emitter package of  claim 1 , wherein at least one voltage of the at least two different voltages is approximately 9 Volts (V). 
     
     
       5. The light emitter package of  claim 1 , wherein at least one voltage of the at least two different voltages is approximately 12 Volts (V). 
     
     
       6. The light emitter package of  claim 1 , wherein at least one voltage of the at least two different voltages is approximately 36 Volts (V). 
     
     
       7. The light emitter package of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal pad, and wherein the package is configurable for electrical current to pass through the thermal pad in a first configuration or for electrical current not to pass through the thermal pad in a second configuration. 
     
     
       8. The light emitter package of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of LED chips comprises at least one positive contact and at least one negative contact disposed on a same face thereof. 
     
     
       9. A light emitter system comprising:
 a light emitter package comprising a submount having a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) chips disposed on a first surface thereof; 
 a thermal pad provided over a second surface of the submount that opposes the first surface, wherein the thermal pad is centrally aligned with respect to the plurality of LED chips; and 
 an external circuit configured to physically and electrically communicate with portions of the package to define a plurality of anode-cathode channels that are each in communication with the plurality of LED chips; 
 wherein the external circuit is configured so that at least one of the plurality of anode-cathode channels electrically communicates with the thermal pad of the package for providing a system that is operable at least in two different voltages. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one voltage of the at least two different voltages is approximately 3 Volts (V). 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one voltage of the at least two different voltages is approximately 6 Volts (V). 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one voltage of the at least two different voltages is approximately 9 Volts (V). 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one voltage of the at least two different voltages is approximately 12 Volts (V). 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one voltage of the at least two different voltages is approximately 36 Volts (V). 
     
     
       15. A multiple voltage light emitter package comprising:
 a submount comprising a first surface, a second surface, and a plurality of electrically conductive vias extending between the first and second surfaces; 
 a pair of traces disposed on the first surface of the submount and at least two pairs of contact pads disposed on the second surface of the submount, wherein each pair of the contact pads includes a first contact pad connected to a first trace of the pair of traces and a second contact pad connected to a second trace of the pair of traces to define an anode and a cathode of a respective one of a plurality of anode-cathode channels, and wherein the plurality of electrically conductive vias connect portions of the pair of traces to the at least two pairs of contact pads; 
 a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) chips disposed over the first surface of the submount and serially connected between the pair of traces; and 
 wherein each pair of the at least two pairs of contact pads are configured to electrically communicate with the plurality of LED chips via one or more of the plurality of anode-cathode channels whereby the package is operable at multiple different voltages. 
 
     
     
       16. The light emitter package of  claim 15 , wherein the anode and cathode of only one pair or both pairs of the at least two pairs of contact pads are configured to electrically communicate with each other for providing a package operable at multiple different voltages. 
     
     
       17. The light emitter package of  claim 15 , wherein the at least two pairs of contact pads comprises more than two pairs of contact pads, and are disposed on the second surface of the submount. 
     
     
       18. The light emitter package of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of LED chips are serially connected in a plurality of strings, and wherein each string of serially connected LED chips is connected in parallel between the pair of traces with each other string of LED chips. 
     
     
       19. The light emitter package of  claim 18 , wherein each string of LED chips is configured to emit a same color of light. 
     
     
       20. The light emitter package of  claim 18 , wherein each string of LED chips is configured to emit a different color of light. 
     
     
       21. The light emitter package of  claim 20 , wherein at least one string of LED chips is configured to emit blue light and wherein at least one other string of LED chips is configured to emit red light. 
     
     
       22. The light emitter package of  claim 15 , wherein each anode of the at least two pairs of contact pads electrically communicates with each cathode of the at least two pairs of contact pads forming a single anode-cathode channel. 
     
     
       23. The light emitter package of  claim 15 , wherein one anode of the at least two pairs of contact pads electrically communicates with one other cathode of the at least two pairs of contact pads forming multiple anode-cathode channels. 
     
     
       24. The light emitter package of  claim 15 , wherein the package is operable at approximately 6 Volts (V) or more. 
     
     
       25. The light emitter package of  claim 15 , wherein the package is operable at 12 Volts (V) or more. 
     
     
       26. The light emitter package of  claim 15 , wherein the package is operable at 18 Volts (V) or more. 
     
     
       27. The light emitter package of  claim 15 , wherein the package is operable at 36 Volts (V) or more. 
     
     
       28. The light emitter package of  claim 15 , wherein the package is operable at 72 Volts (V) or more. 
     
     
       29. The light emitter package of  claim 15 , wherein the package further comprises a lens. 
     
     
       30. The light emitter package of  claim 29 , wherein the lens comprises a circular lens base. 
     
     
       31. The light emitter package of  claim 29 , wherein the lens comprise a non-circular lens base. 
     
     
       32. The light emitter package of  claim 29 , wherein the lens comprises an asymmetrical dome. 
     
     
       33. A multiple voltage light emitter system comprising:
 a light emitter package comprising:
 a submount comprising a first surface, a second surface, and a plurality of electrically conductive vias extending between the first and second surfaces; 
 a pair of traces disposed on the first surface of the submount and at least two pairs of contact pads disposed on the second surface of the submount, wherein each pair of the at least two pairs of contact pads includes a first contact pad connected to a first trace of the pair of traces and a second contact pad connected to a second trace of the pair of traces to define an anode and a cathode of a respective one of a plurality of anode-cathode channels, and wherein the plurality of electrically conductive vias connect portions of the pair of traces to the at least two pairs of contact pads; and 
 a plurality of strings comprising a plurality of serially connected (LED) chips disposed over the first surface of the submount, wherein each string of LED chips is electrically connected in parallel between the pair of traces; and 
 
 an external circuit comprising a solder pad configured to physically and electrically communicate with the package, wherein the solder pad is configured to apply electrical signal across only one pair or both pairs of the at least two pairs of contact pads whereby the package is operable at multiple different voltages. 
 
     
     
       34. The light emitter system of  claim 33 , wherein a thermal component of the package is selectively configurable for electrical communication with respect to portions of the external circuit thereby providing a system that is operable in at least two different voltages. 
     
     
       35. The light emitter system of  claim 33 , wherein the at least two pairs of contact pads comprises more than two pairs of contact pads, and are disposed on the second surface of the submount. 
     
     
       36. The light emitter system of  claim 33 , wherein each string of LED chips is configured to emit a same color of light. 
     
     
       37. The light emitter system of  claim 33 , wherein each string of LED chips is configured to emit a different color of light. 
     
     
       38. The light emitter system of  claim 33 , wherein the solder pad comprises a single anode-cathode channel configured to electrically communicate with at least some of the contact pads of the light emitter package. 
     
     
       39. The light emitter system of  claim 33 , wherein the solder pad comprises multiple anode-cathode channels configured to electrically communicate with at least some of the contact pads of the emitter package. 
     
     
       40. The light emitter system of  claim 33 , wherein the system is operable at 6 Volts (V) or more. 
     
     
       41. The light emitter system of  claim 33 , wherein the system is operable at 12 Volts (V) or more. 
     
     
       42. The light emitter system of  claim 33 , wherein the system is operable at 18 Volts (V) or more. 
     
     
       43. The light emitter system of  claim 33 , wherein the system is operable at 36 Volts (V) or more. 
     
     
       44. The light emitter system of  claim 33 , wherein the system is operable at 72 Volts (V) or more. 
     
     
       45. The light emitter system of  claim 33 , wherein the package further comprises a lens. 
     
     
       46. The light emitter system of  claim 45 , wherein the lens comprises a circular lens base. 
     
     
       47. The light emitter system of  claim 45 , wherein the lens comprise a non-circular lens base.